noun General Slang

The Man

/ðə ˈmæn/ · noun · slang

The establishment, authority, or oppressive power structure.

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Definitions

1

The establishment or system of authority seen as controlling and oppressive.

“You can't beat the man, but you don't have to play his game.”
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2

An employer or boss representing conformist mainstream power.

“She refused to go work for the man in some office.”
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3

The police or government specifically, as agents of control.

“The man showed up and shut the whole gathering down.”
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The Man In A Sentence

They were always railing against the man.
Don't let the man tell you how to live.
Sticking it to the man was half the point of the protest.

Origin & Usage

Originating in Black American vernacular, where 'the man' referred to a white boss or oppressive authority, the term was adopted by 1960s counterculture to mean the establishment at large.

People Also Ask

What does the man mean in slang?

It refers to the establishment, authority, or oppressive power structure, including police, government, or bosses.

Where did the man come from?

From Black American vernacular, where 'the man' meant a white boss or oppressive authority; hippies broadened it to the establishment.

What does 'stick it to the man' mean?

It means to defy or rebel against authority and the established power structure.

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